


One step from the finish line

by notyourown



Series: Ian and Mickey: Mexico [4]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M, Mexico, POV Mickey Milkovich, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 08:39:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10081769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notyourown/pseuds/notyourown
Summary: After their romantic Valentine's day rendez-vous in Mexico, things are looking a little less perfect for our boys. Can they work it out?This work can be read as a standalone, but makes much more sense within the series.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Since this story is Mickey POV, the 'sent' and 'typing' notes are refering to him. When (...) is by Ian's name, it means he's the one typing. The texts refered to as 'typing' and written in italics are unsent! I hope it's a fair example of stream of consciousness.
> 
> Also, warning for mention of past rape and abuse.

The waves crashed the shore with fury. He stood barefoot on the wet sand, letting the cold splash of water make his memories resurface. Just three weeks ago, they were on that very beach, naked and shivering from the cold, their fingers dug into the sand, their elbows touching. Just three weeks ago, they were here and the world seemed to have finally given them a break. For a night, at least.

And what a night it had been.

He could still feel Ian's damp skin under his fingers, shaky and smooth. He could still feel his thumb on Ian's wrist, the unsteady beat of his heart in his veins. He could still feel Ian's breath on his mouth, Ian's tounge on his tounge, Ian's eyes on his eyes. He could still feel Ian everywhere, the touch lingered, forbidding him to forget a single second. He could still feel Ian inside of him, needy and urgent, joining their bodies together,  giving into the tormenting urge overwhelming their minds. He could still feel Ian wanting him, Ian missing him. He could feel Ian's words, broken cries filled with regret.

_You are everything._

_I'll make this work, I promise._

_I'll figure it out. For us._

_Wait for me. Please._

_One step from the finish line, remember?_

He did remember. He did.

Of course he'd wait, he always somehow would. _Under my skin, remember? Under my skin._

It's been three weeks, no time at all. Under three weeks, actually. 18 days, to be precise. It's been 18 days. Eighteen days is no time at all, they've been through a lot worse.

Hell, there was a time when they thought fifteen years would be the likely next wait. Fifteen years. And this was eighteen days. Mickey's mouth quirked up in a small smile at the comparison.

Soon, the wait would be over. Soon, he had said, and Mickey believed him. He'll figure it out.

He believed him. He did.

He gave all his uncertainty and doubt up the moment he saw Ian's face in the ocean. _You are everything._ He gave it all up because what he had seen then, it was his old Ian, his innocent, genuine, exposed Ian:  The same Ian who ran to his door when life got too fucked up to be handled on its own. The same Ian who visited him in juvie with all his feelings on display. The same Ian who cried when Mickey was forced to be with a woman. The same Ian who implored him to open up, to talk, to let himself feel.  The same Ian who begged him not to marry. The same Ian who watched him say 'I do'. _That_ Ian – that's who he saw in this ocean. That's who that was, asking for his forgiveness. And Mickey forgave him, just like that, like it was the easiest thing in the world, because that was _his_ Ian and he missed _his_ Ian more than he knew and if he had a chance to have him back even for a night, he would take that chance and treasure it. And he did.

He took the chance and he was waiting now for another one. Because _his_ Ian promised there would be another one. And he believed him. He did.

He believed him, but it didn't make it easy. Eighteen days was no time at all, but it sure felt like an eternity.

He took his phone out and took a picture of the ocean in front of him. He sent it.

Not a moment later, his phone beeped.

 **Ian** / 10:10

wow thats amazing

 _ **sent**_ / 10:10

youre missing out man

 **Ian** / 10:11

i can see that

 **Ian** / 10:11

be there soon

 _ **sent**_ / 10:11

how soon is soon?

 **Ian** / 10:11

wait and see ;)

 **Ian** / 10:11

dont you have a job to go to

 _ **sent**_ / 10:12

not today i dont

 **Ian** / 10:12

oh

 **Ian** / 10:12

lucky

 **Ian** / 10:12

miss you

 _ **sent**_ / 10:12

you should

 ** _sent_** / 10:12

;)

 **Ian** / 10:12

haha dickhead

 ** _sent_** / 10:14

hows it going?

 **Ian** / 10:15

pretty good i think

 **Ian** / 10:15

everyones on board

 **Ian** / 10:15

fi even gave me some money from her latest flip

 **Ian** / 10:15

lip says hi

 _ **sent**_ / 10:15

why would he say hi

 **Ian** / 10:16

saw i was texting you

 _ **sent**_ / 10:16

oh

 _ **sent**_ / 10:16

okay

 **Ian** / 10:16

are you gonna say hi back?

 _ **sent**_ / 10:16

whatever

 **Ian** / 10:16

don't be a dick mickey

 **Ian** / 10:16

he secretly likes you you know

 _ **sent**_ / 10:17

fine

 _ **sent**_ / 10:17

say i said hi

 **Ian** / 10:17

already done

 _ **sent**_ / 10:17

youre a dick

 **Ian** / 10:17

hahahah

 **Ian** / 10:17

i love you too

_**typing…** _

_you_

**_typing…_ **

_is that what p_

**_typing…_ **

_i lo_

**_sent_** / 10:18

then get that shit over with and get down here

 **Ian** / 10:18

i will

 **Ian** / 10:18

i promise

 **Ian** / 10:18

im taking care of it

 **Ian** / 10:18

oh i saw mandy yesterday

 **Ian** / 10:18

she says hi assface

 **Ian** / 10:18

_(photo attachment)_

**_sent_** / 10:18

sounds like mandy

 ** _sent_** / 10:19

wow blonder than ever

 ** _sent_** / 10:19

i liked it better black

 **Ian** / 10:19

hhaha of course you did

 **Ian** / 10:19

the milkovich trademark

 **Ian** / 10:19

she gave me some of your old stuff

 **Ian** / 10:19

theres some photos and that hawaiian shirt we found in one of the suitcases

 **Ian** / 10:19

and the dildo ;)

 **Ian** / 10:19

that coloring book we got yev for his bday

 **Ian** / 10:19

turns out art isnt his thing haha

 **Ian** / 10:19

oh and she gave us some money too

**_typing…_ **

_she did_

**_typing…_ **

_why did she_

**_typing…_ **

_how is he_

**_typing…_ **

_is he o_

**_typing…_ **

_did you see hi_

**_typing…_ **

_could you go and see hi_

**Ian** / 10:21

mickey?

 _ **sent**_ / 10:21

yeah

 _ **sent**_ / 10:21

im here

 _ **sent**_ / 10:21

thats cool of her

 _ **sent**_ / 10:21

you seen yev?

 **Ian** / 10:22

_(photo attachment)_

**Ian** / 10:22

_(photo attachment)_

**Ian** / 10:22

_(photo attachment)_

_**typing…** _

_he is so big_

**_typing…_ **

_is he talking by now_

**_typing…_ **

_does he remember you_

**_typing…_ **

_does he remember me_

**_sent_ ** / 10:23

getting big

 _ **sent** _ / 10:23

you seen svet?

 **Ian** / 10:23

yeah she said you should call

**_typing…_ **

_i cant_

**_typing…_ **

_i dont want him to_

**_typing…_ **

_he shouldnt get invo_

**_typing…_ **

_hes better off_

**_sent_** / 10:25

i might

 _ **sent** _ / 10:25

anyway

 ** _sent_** / 10:25

what else you gotta take care of

 **Ian** / 10:26

you should call them mickey

 **Ian** / 10:26

i know what youre thinking

 **Ian** / 10:26

but youre wrong

 **Ian** / 10:26

if my father wanted to know me i

 **Ian** / 10:26

my real father not frank

 **Ian** / 10:26

id want to

 **Ian** / 10:26

i dont know

 **Ian** / 10:26

i think we should stay in touch

 **Ian** / 10:26

you love that baby

 **Ian** / 10:27

i know you do

**_typing…_ **

_whatever_

**_typing…_ **

_hes better off_

**_typing…_ **

_i dont think he_

**_typing…_ **

_i lov_

**_sent_** / 10:28

i do

 ** _sent_** / 10:28

thats exactly why

 **Ian** / 10:28

mickey

 **Ian** / 10:28

i get it but

 **Ian** / 10:28

i dont think you should decide for him

 **Ian** / 10:28

that he doesnt get to know his father

 **Ian** / 10:28

let him deicde for himself when he's older

 **Ian** / 10:28

and

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** / 10:29

i know what he'd decide if you let him

 **Ian** / 10:29

he'd decide he loved you

 **Ian** / 10:29

i know it firsthand

 ** _sent_** / 10:29

dont get sappy on me

 ** _sent_ ** / 10:30

ill think about it

 ** _sent_** / 10:30

okay?

 **Ian** / 10:30

okay you do that

 **Ian** / 10:30

and ill get sappy whenever i want

 **Ian** / 10:30

and its fine if you wanna keep pretending it bothers you

 **Ian** / 10:30

bc i know you secretly love it 

 **Ian** / 10:30

you softie

 _ **sent**_ / 10:31

WHat

 _ **sent**_ / 10:31

im not soft

 _ **sent**_ / 10:31

youre a dick

 **Ian** / 10:31

yeah you said that already

 **Ian** / 10:31

and i said i love you too

 **Ian** / 10:31

jesus needy much?

**_typing…_ **

_what_

**_typing…_ **

_what's your prob_

**_typing…_ **

_what did you just sa_

**_sent_ ** / 10:32

fuck you

 ** _sent_** / 10:32

if you ever get here you're going down

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** / 10:35

what was that supposed to mean

 ** _sent_** / 10:35

that im kicking your ass?

 **Ian** / 10:35

no not that

 **Ian** / 10:35

mickey? of course im getting down there

 **Ian** / 10:35

i promised you

 **Ian** / 10:35

i wanna be with you

 **Ian** / 10:35

im just

 ** _sent_ ** / 10:35

taking care of stuff, i know

 ** _sent_** / 10:36

i know

**_typing…_ **

_i just_

**_typing…_ **

_its been 18 d_

**_typing…_ **

_you can change your mind if you want to i get it_

**_typing…_ **

_i wouldn't blame you if y_

**Ian** / 10:37

im not gonna change my mind this time mickey

 **Ian** / 10:37

i thought about this for months

 **Ian** / 10:37

just wait a little longer i know its hard but you have to trust me okay

 **Ian** / 10:37

here

 **Ian** / 10:38

_(photo attachment)_

**_typing…_ **

_you_

**_typing…_ **

_thats a week from now_

**_typing…_ **

_youre really doing this_

**_typing…_ **

_you are really moving here_

**_typing…_ **

_you love m_

**_sent_** / 10:39

when did you get that

 **Ian** / 10:39

just now :)

**_typing…_ **

_i lo_

**_typing…_ **

_thats_

**_typing…_ **

_youre really coming_

**_sent_** / 10:40

i love you

 ** _sent_** / 10:40

we're really doing this

 ** _sent_**   / 10:40

this is happening

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** / 10:41

yes it's happening so STOP DOUBTING

 **Ian** / 10:41

a week from now we'll be on that very beach

 **Ian** / 10:41

probably drunk off our asses

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** / 10.41

i love you

 **Ian** / 10:41

now stop doubting it

 **Ian** / 10:41

i know its not easy for you but please trust me

 **Ian** / 10:41

and be at that fucking airport

 **Ian** / 10:42

so i can finally kiss you again

 _ **sent** _ / 10:42

no kissing at airports

 ** _sent_** / 10:42

too cheesy

 **Ian** / 10:42

try stop me

**_typing…_ **

_no way_

**_sent_** / 10:42

i intend to

 **Ian** / 10:43

i dont think you do

 ** _sent_** / 10:43

shut up

 ** _sent_ ** / 10:43

battery dying

 ** _sent_** / 10:43

talk later

**_typing…_ **

_i lo_

**_typing…_ **

_i miss_

**_sent_** / 10:44

see you soon

 **Ian** / 10:45

not soon enough

 **Ian** _(…)_

 **Ian** / 10:45

and call svet

 

He pocketed his phone and breathed. A sudden splash of relief overwhelmed him and he smiled at the sunlit sea in front of him. His heart was still beating loudly from when Ian sent him the photo of his airplane ticket. March 13th at 10:30 AM, it said. Nine more days. Just nine more.

Nine days sounded ridiculous now, compared to all they had to go through. Compared to fifteen years. Nine days was no time at all. He laughed out loud. No time at all.

He took his shirt off and dived into the blue surface in front of him. Time to learn how to swim. Time to start living the life he always wanted to live. The life he deserved. With the man who loved him and whom he loved back effortlessly.

They were broken in so many ways. Life kicked them around for years, not letting them breathe, let alone love each other. But they fought back. They fought shitty neighborhoods, abusive fathers, homophobia, fake marriages, mental illnesses, prison, fellony convictions, prison breakouts, the cops escapisms, distances, loneliness, hurt, weaknesses, children they weren't able to hold: they fought it all.

They fought it all and they won.

They won.

They seemed to be winning, at least. On the brink of winning. One step from the finish line.

And the finish line required swimming. So he swam.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was experimental for me (my first dominantly texting fic) and I hope it worked out well. I'm really anxious about it, though, so any kind of feedback is welcome! 
> 
> And yes, there will be more parts of the series. It's being updated in real time, so maybe March 13th is our date. Stay tuned!


End file.
